Miniature hearing aid structure

ABSTRACT

A hearing aid structure is provided in which all of the components of the hearing aid may be fitted within a person&#39;&#39;s ear. The structure includes a main housing for a power source and an amplifier and a microphone housing isolated from the main housing and connected to it by a deformable, flexible, skeletal structure. A receiver is compliantly connected to the main housing and an ear seal is rigidly coupled to the receiver and adapted to fit snuggly into the ear canal of a person&#39;&#39;s ear.

United States Patent 1191 Weiss et a1.

[ Jan. 1, 1974 [54] MINIATURE HEARING AID STRUCTURE 3,389,232 6/1968Posen et al 179 107 E [75] n or Erwin e ss, Ch cago; Richard 2,874,2312/1959 Wallace 179/107 E Brander, Cicero, both of I11.

Primary Exammer--W1l11am C. Cooper [73] Assignee: Beltone ElectronicsCorporation, Assistant Examiner-Thomas Kunden Chicago Att0rneyMolinare,Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [22] Filed: Dec. 2, 1970 1211 Appl. No.:94,273 [57] ABSTRACT A hearing aid structure is provided in which all ofthe 52 us. c1. 179/107 E of the hearmg i may be a person s ear. Thestructure 1ncludes a main housmg [51 Int. Cl H04r 25/02 for a owerSource and an am lifier and a micro hone 158.] Field of Search 179/107E; 181/23 P housmg lsolated from the main housmg and connected to it bya deformable, flexible, skeletal structure. A re- [56] References Citedcerver 1s compllantly connected to the mam housmg UNITED STATES PATENTSand an ear seal is rigidly coupled to the receiver and 3,170,046 2/1965Leale 179/107 E adapted to fit snuggly into the ear canal of a persons2,938,083 5/1960 Hcrrmann 179/107 E ear 3,529,102 9/1970 Rosenstand179/107 E 3,061,689 10/1962 McCarrell et a1. 179/107 E 5 Claims, 8Drawing Figures MINIATURE HEARING AID STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The basic components of a hearing aid include a receiver, abattery, an amplifier, a gain control and a microphone. In thein-the-ear hearing air structures in the prior art, all of thesecomponents have been contained in a single plastichousing. Such devicesare effective for their intended use. However, because of the sizerequirements for the hearing aid components, the plastic housing whichcontains all these components cannot be fit entirely into the cavumconchae of a persons ear in an esthetically pleasing manner. Problemswith this arrangement also arise from the acoustical and mechanicalfeedback to the microphone from the other components of the hearing aidwhich are in close proximity to the microphone and from mechanicalvibration emanating from the skin tissue of the cavum conchae.Additionally, acoustical leakage can occur due to a poor fit between thereceiver ear seal and the persons ear canal.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a miniature hearing aidstructure of improved esthetic appearance. It is also desirable toprovide such a hearing aid structure which will fit snuggly within apersons ear.

It is furtherdesirable to provide a hearing aid structure in which themicrophone components of the hearing aid may be isolated acousticallyand mechanically from the other components of the hearing aid.Additionally, it is desirable to provide a hearing aid structure thatincorporates improvements or improved means of affecting an acousticalseal to the ear canal. It is further desirable to provide such a hearingaid structure including a deformable structure for electricallyconnecting the microphone to the components of the main housing of thehearing aid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a principal aspect, the present inventionrelates to a structure for receiving the components of a hearing aidwhich include a microphone, a power source, an amplifier and a receiver.The structure includes a main housing adapted to receive the powersource and the amplifier, a microphone housing isolated from the mainhousing and a receiver-ear seal module flexibly and compliantly coupledto the main housing. The novel ear seal is contoured to fit snugglywithin a persons ear canal so as to affect an improved acoustic seal andsupport the main housing within the persons ear. A deformable maleablestructure containing electrical conductive means connects the microphoneto the main housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a brief description ofthe drawings wherein like numerals refer to like elements and wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the miniaturehearing aid structure of this invention within a persons ear;

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the hearing aid shown in FIG. 1 anddeformable skeleton connecting the container to the main housing;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the microphone housing anddeformable structure connecting the housing to the main housing;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 2 with a portionof the structure broken away;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 3 takensubstantially along the lines 44;

FIG. 5 is a perspective break-away view of one preferred embodiment ofthe ear seal of this invention;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment ofthe ear seal of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a top, cross-sectional view of a persons head with the earseal of this invention in place in the persons ear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, anovel miniature hearing aid structure 10 is implaced in a persons ear 1I. The structure 10 includes a main housing 12 and a microphone housing14. The microphone housing 14 is coupled to the main housing 12 by meansof a deformable maleable structure 16. The hearing aid structure 10 alsoincludes a receiver mounting member 17 compliantly connected to the mainhousing 12 and a receiver 18 rigidly connected to the receiver mountingmember 17. An ear seal 19 is rigidly connected to the receiver 18.

The main housing 12 includes a battery storage compartment 22 firmlysecured to one side of the housing 12 and an adjustable volume control24 rotatably mounted on the front surface 26 of the housing 12. Anamplifier circuit (not shown) is also contained in the main housing 12.

Referring to FIG. 1A, the hearing aid structure 10 includes a complaintcoupler 27 connecting the receiver mounting member 17 to the mainhousing 12. As will be explained more fully later, the ear seal 19includes a channel or cavity 64 contoured to conform to the shape of thereceiver 18. When the components are assembled, the ear seal 19 may becemented to the receiver mounting member 17.

The novel hearing aid structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A serves generallyto spread the components of an inthe-ear miniature hearing aid out overthe surface of a persons ear. The microphone housing 14 and thedeformable maleable structure 16 connecting the microphone housing 14 tothe main housing 12 are hidden behind the helix of the persons ear 11.The main housing 12 rests comfortably in the conchae of the person s ear11 and the flexible ear seal 19 together with the receiver 18 housedwithin the ear seal 19 rest partially in the ear canal of the personsear 11.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the deformable structure 16 includessleeves 30 and 32 connected to either end of a compliant tube 28. Anextension 34 is molded to the microphone housing 14 and adapted toreceive the sleeve 30 with the flange 36 of the sleeve 30 fittingsnuggly into the lateral channel 38 defined in the extension 34. In asimilar fashion, an extension 40 is molded to the main housing 12 andadapted to receive the sleeve 32 with flange 42 snuggly secured in thelateral channel 44 defined in the extension 40. The tube 28 may beformed of shrinkpro0f mylar, although any compliant insulating materialmay be substituted therefore.

Encapsulated within the tube 28 are a pair of solid metal wires 55twisted throughout their entire length. Electrical conductive means orelectrical conductors 56 are inter-twined with the twisted metal wires55 in the interstices 57 formed by the wires 55. The structure 16incorporating the metal wires 55 and conductors 56 can be formed to fitthe contour of a persons ear and yet is sufficiently rigid to preventunintentional deformation.

The microphone housing 14 is a rectangular container of viscoelasticmaterial having a number of formable isolating tabs 46 molded to theinner surface 48 thereof. The tabs 46 are provided to position amicrophone 50 within the housing 14 spaced apart from the inner surface48. With the microphone 50 so spaced, vibrational energy which may betransmitted from the outer surface 52 of the housing 14 to themicrophone 50 will be attenuated in the space 54 between the microphone50 and the inner surface 48 of the housing 14. Thus, the molded tabs 46serve to isolate the microphone 50 from extraneous vibrationssurrounding the housing 14. To be more specific, these tabs 46 isolatethe microphone 50 from the skin tissue of a persons ear.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, the ear seal 19 includes a tapered section58, a curved section 60 and a receiver section 62, each section having agenerally oval cross-sectional shape. The outer periphery of the taperedsection 58 has successive sections of smaller ovals forming a taperedshape. The receiver section 62 of seal 19 contains a cavity 64 definedtherein arid contoured to secure a receiver 18 therewithin. The end 66of receiver section 62 may be connected to the receiver mounting member17 shown in FIG. 1A. Acoustical channels 68 and 70 are defined withinthe ear seal 19 to acoustically link the receiver 18 to the outlet end72 of the ear seal 19 so that sound may be transmitted to a persons ear11.

The ear seal 19 is designed to fit relatively deep in the ear canal ofthe car 11. The ear seal 19 incorporates the curved section 60 to allowthe seal 19 to follow the natural bend of a persons ear and increase thesurface area contact with the ear canal. The tapered section 58 of theear seal 19 is provided to accommodate a large range of ear canal sizes.Thus, the ear seal 19 of this invention may be inserted into a personsear canal to a comfortable position with the ear seal 19 conforming tothe shape of the persons ear canal.

It has been found that the formation of the ear seal 19 having an outerperiphery approximately conforming to the shape of a super-elipsedefined by the equation (x/a)" (y/b)" I, wherein n 2.4, is particularlysuitable for a comfortable and snug fit of the ear seal 19 within theperson's ear canal. With the flexible ear seal 19 and receiver 18contained therein secured in a persons ear canal, the main housing [2can rest snuggly against the tissue of a persons ear 11 in the area ofthcavum conchae. The ear seal 19 may be formed of silicone rubber such asthe material sold by DOW CORNING under the trade name SILASTIC. The sealmay also be formed of any other flexible material which allows it toconform to variations in the ear canal shape of a persons ear.

A second preferred embodiment of an ear seal 73 is shown in FIG. 5A. Theear seal 73 includes a tapered section 58, a curved section 60 and areceiver section 62 with each of the sections having a general ovalcross'sectional shape which are substantially identical to the sectionsof seal 19 bearing the same numerals. Seal 73 also includes a receiverchannel 64 and acoustic channels 68 and 70 defined therein andsubstantially identical to the channels of seal 19 shown in FIG. 5. Thechannel 64 of receiver 73 is contoured to conform to the shape of areceiver 66a. The ear seal 73 contains saw-tooth serrations 74 definedalong the tapered and curved sections 58 and 60 of the seal 73. Theseserrations 74 are angled outwardly from the seal 73 and away from thesound outlet end 72. When the seal is implaced in the ear canal of thepersons car 11, the serrations 74 provide improved frictional contactwith the ear canal and prevent the seal 73 from creeping out of the ear11. Because of the angle of the serrations 74 with respect to the seal73, the serrations 74 cause the seal 73 to move even deeper into the earcanal with bodily movements.

It is to be understood that the present embodiments of this inventiondescribed above are merely illustrative of applications of theprincipals of this invention. A variety of other arrangements couldsimilarly be employed to instrument this invention without departingfrom the true spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A miniature hearing aid structure comprising, in combination:

a main housing including a power source and an amplifier, said mainhousing adapted to rest in the concha of a users ear;

means remote from said main housing for housing a microphone, saidmicrophone housing means adapted to fit behind the upper, frontalportion of the helix of the users ear;

means for coupling said microphone housing means to said main housingcomprising a deformable, malleable structure containing electricalconductive means and support means;

a flexible ear seal having a sound outlet at one end thereof, saidflexible ear seal fitting within and substantially filling the ear canalof the user;

a receiver, said receiver being rigidly coupled to said flexible earseal;

and means for compliantly coupling said receiver to said main housing.

2. The miniature hearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein said supportmeans comprises a plurality of metal wires, said metal wires beinginterstitially wound with said electrical conductive means,

3. The miniature hearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein saiddeformable, malleable structure includes a compliant tube forencapsulating said electrical conductive means and said support means.

4. The miniature hearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein said flexibleear seal comprises, in combination:

a receiver section having a cavity contoured to conform to the shape ofsaid receiver;

a curved section conforming to the bend in the ear canal of the usersear;

a tapered section;

and an acoustic channel defined within said curved section and saidtapered section between said receiver cavity and said sound outlet suchthat said receiver cavity is acoustically coupled with the users ear.

5. The miniature hearing aid structure of claim 1 including a pluralityof saw-toothed serrations defined along said flexible ear seal andangled away from said sound outlet whereby said flexible ear seal issecurely retained within the ear canal of the user's ear.

1. A miniature hearing aid structure comprising, in combination: a mainhousing including a power source and an amplifier, said main housingadapted to rest in the concha of a user''s ear; means remote from saidmain housing for housing a microphone, said microphone housing meansadapted to fit behind the upper, frontal portion of the helix of theuser''s ear; means for coupling said microphone housing means to saidmain housing comprising a deformable, malleable structure containingelectrical conductive means and support means; a flexible ear sealhaving a sound outlet at one end thereof, said flexible ear seal fittingwithin and substantially filling the ear canal of the user; a receiver,said receiver being rigidly coupled to said flexible ear seal; and meansfor compliantly coupling said receiver to said main housing.
 2. Theminiature hearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein said support meanscomprises a plurality of metal wires, said metal wires beinginterstitially wound with said electrical conductive means,
 3. Theminiature hearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein said deformable,malleable structure includes a compliant tube for encapsulating saidelectrical conductive means and said support means.
 4. The miniaturehearing aid structure of claim 1 wherein said flexible ear sealcomprises, in combination: a receiver section having a cavity contouredto conform to the shape of said receiver; a curved section conforming tothe bend in the ear canal of the user''s ear; a tapered section; and anacoustic channel defined within said curved section and said taperedsection between said receiver cavity and said sound outlet such thatsaid receiver cavity is acoustically coupled with the user''s ear. 5.The miniature hearing aid structure of claim 1 including a plurality ofsaw-toothed serrations defined along said flexible ear seal and angledaway from said sound outlet whereby said flexible ear seal is securelyretained within the ear canal of the user''s ear.